Log-splitter



(No Model.)

W. HILL. LOGSPLITTER.

. Patented Nov. 7, 1893.

' InUal-ltpr, f

ANNES n Ymw.

- -UNITEDA STATES 'PATENT Ferca WILLIAM E. HILL, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

Loc-s-PLITTl-:a

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.A5O8,221, dated November l7,1893.

Application filed December 1, 1892. Serial 110.453,704. (lo model.) l

To all whom tmc/y concern; I

mazoo, county of Kalamazoo, State of Michition.

The object ofthis invention is to construct a steam splitting machine `for splittinglogs,

Vto consist esseutiallyof a steam cylinder-with a splitting ax attached to one end of the pis-1 ton rod and to be operated by the end thrust of said piston.

splitting block, at the same time.

In the drawings forminga part ofthis speci- Iication, Figure 1 is an elevation showing the machine as when located over a stream of water; Fig. 2 an enlarged perspective view of the aX; Fig. 3 an enlarged view ot' lettered details at the top of Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4,in Fig. 3,1ooking from a point at the right.

As here shown, the machine is mounted. on abutments over a stream, so.,-.that the logs, J, may be elevated out of the water and after being split the bolts fall into the Water and float away, as illustrated at M and N.

AtA is illustrated a frame-work upon which work being broken away to show the construction and arrangements of the machine proper. The log, J', after being elevated, is

placed upon the splitting block, K, mountedl upon a central abutment, Lor any other suitable foundation. l

B is the steam cylinder, rigidly attached to the upper beams of the frame-work, as shown in Fig. 1. This steam cylinder has a piston rod, both ends of which extend out of the ends of the cylinder. To the lower end of said piston rod is attached. the ax, D. This ax may consist of a single blade, so as to split the log in halves, or it may consist of four radiating branches at right angles to each other, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to split the log in quari ters. From this itwill be seen that the ax Beit known that I, WILLIAM E. HILL, a citi-g zen of the United States, residing at Kala-l itself may be in any suitable shape desired.

To the upper end ol" the piston rod, C, is swivelly attached a pulley, E, pivotally mounted in a swiveled head, F.

Fig. 4i clearly illustrates how the pulley block is swiveled to the upper end ot' the piston rod, C, the upper end of said piston rod being provided with a lperipheral groove, a, and a pin, e, being inserted through the pulleyblock in said groove. l

A rope, chain or cable, G, is fastened atits `lower end 'tov some fixed support and from Another object is to combine the steam cylinder, piston rod andax witha rope and tog- .gle tongs in such a manner that when the; piston rod ascends thebax will be raised and the log be raised up to be mounted upon the .attached toggle tongs, I. To keep this cable or rope from contact with the steam cylinder, it

is passed between two rollers, n n, pivotally attac-lied to a beam ofthe frame-work, as in Fig. 1. 'At I-I is to the throttle of the steam cylinder-in the ordinary manner, so that steam may be admitted to either end of the cylinder, B, to throw the piston rod up or down, as desired. At. each end of the cylinder is a rubber cushion, 0c, which may be'employed to cushion the shock, during the action of the piston rod. In the operation, steam is admitted into the upper end of the cylinder, which of course will lower the ax, forcing it through the log and allowing the bolts to fall into the water. During this action the ,toggle tongs also lower, from the fact that the pulley is carried down with the piston rod. The tongs are then attached to another log in the stream and steam admitted into the lowerend of the cylinder, which will cause the piston rod to rise,

Vraising the ax and the tongs, with thelog,

atth'e same time. The log is then mounted upon the splitting block by a person in attendance, standing on the platform, P, who also operates the throttle lever H and detaches the tongs, and the first operation is then repeated. During this action the ax is permitted to follow the natural course of vshown a lever, which is attached' served that the ax is provided at the center with a projecting point, z', which centersin the log and forms a sort of aXis for the log to turn upon, but this may be employed or not.

This machine of course may be employed in any location, whether over a stream or not. It may be employed for splitting stave or heading bolts or even for splitting up short logs into fuel, but of course one of the principal ideas is to make it convenient for haudling heavy logs which are oated down a stream, for'first sawing the logs into proper lengths and then splitting them into the proper sized bolts, which can be more conveniently handled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is-

1. A steam splitting machine, comprising a steam cylinder, a piston rod therein, both ends of which extend out of the ends of the steam cylinder, the lower end of said piston rod having attached thereto an ax, the upper end of said piston rod bearing a pulley, a rope, chain or cable passed over said pulley, and log tongs attached to the lower end of said rope, chain or cable, whereby the ax and log are raised at the same time; substantially as set forth.

2. ln a log splitting machine, the combination of a suitable frame, a steam cylinder supported by said frame, a piston rod, both ends of which extend out of the ends of the steam cylinder, one end of said piston rod having attached thereto an ax, the other end having attached thereto a swiveledpulley, and a rope, chain or cable rigidly attached to some suitable support at one end and passed over the pulley, and log tongs attached to the free end of said rope, chain or cable; substantially as set forth.

3. In a log splitting machine, the combination of a suitable frame, a steam cylinder supported by said frame, a piston rod, both ends of which extend out of the ends of the steam cylinder, one end of said piston rod having attached thereto an ax, the other end having attached thereto a swiveled pulley, and a rope, chain or cable rigidly attached to some suitable support at one end and passed over the pulley, log tongs attached to the free end of said rope, chain or cable, and frictional guide-rollers between which said rope, chain or cable passes. l

4. The combination of a ,suitable framework -mounted overxa body of water, a steam cylinder supported by said frame-work, a piston rod having both ends passed out of the ends of the steam cylinder, an ax attached to the lower end of the piston rod, a swiveled pulley attached to the upper end of the piston rod, a rope, chain or cable rigidly attached at one end, from thence beingpassed up over the pulley and extending downward, log tongs attached to the lower free end of said rope, chain or cable, an abutment in the water and a suitable splitting-block mounted upon said abutment; substantially as set forth.

In testimony to the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WM. E. HILL.

Witnesses:

FRED A. FULLER, HULBURT BROOKS. 

